Dental Drama

I really, really don't want to write this post. Because it still makes me a little queasy just thinking about it. But, I promised to share the good with the bad events in our life and this definitely falls into the latter category. Here is the reader's digest version: Finn began going to the dentist when he turned three (as recommended) and we have had no problems . . . until now. I started to notice a couple of dark spots on his teeth and thought it was food or something stuck in there and kept trying to floss it out. He didn't complain about it so I didn't worry about it. Until we went back to the dentist for our 6 month check up and low and behold he had TWO cavities!! I almost passed out. We were just at the dentist 6 months ago and nothing and now 2? The x-rays showed that they were pretty deep so they would need to be filled. Aughhh. I felt like a terrible mom. How could I let this happen? Anyway, enough of my pity party. 

We had scheduled one filling but before we made it to the appointment, he woke up screaming in the middle of this night because his tooth hurt. We had to bump up the appointment. Because he had to have what amounts to a baby root canal, he had to take Valium (?!?) before  and then they gave him laughing gas during. I was a nervous wreck. In all honesty, the dentist and hygienists were great . . . he even got to watch the movie Cars on the ceiling and wear headphones, so he was totally fine. He was so brave and I am so proud of what a big boy he was. I, on the other hand, was a hot mess.

Now, here comes the really bad part . . .because the cavity was so deep, they couldn't just fill it with composite like they would do to our teeth, because kids teeth are still really brittle. So, they had to cap it with . . . a metal tooth. SAY WHAT??. I wanted to snatch that drill write out of his hand and smack him with it. Have you seen my baby's smile? Megawatt for sure and now I will have to see the twinkle of a little metal tooth glaring back at me and be reminded of how I failed him. Ok, maybe I'm being a tad over dramatic, but it's his SMILE for goodness sakes. Fast forward, and my little love has two metal teeth. He could care less and sometimes refers to them as his superhero teeth. I'm not quite there yet. The dentist tried to reassure me that it happens and any kind of food can cause it, not just sweets. He said that daily flossing is the only way to make sure you get everything out. Have you ever tried to floss a 4 year olds' teeth? Not on my top ten lists for sure, but floss we do. Every Night! 

My brave little angel, with his laughing gas, watching Cars on the ceiling

And, to add insult to injury, Lily had to have an abscessed tooth pulled and part of her gum cut out where it had grown over her tooth from an old injury. Geez, this has not been our month where teeth are concerned. You can probably file this under TMI but this occupied a month out of our lives. Not fun. Moving on . . .